Written Answers

Friday 3 March 2000

Scottish Executive

Counterfeit Goods

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs it estimates were lost in the last three years due to trade in counterfeited goods reducing sales of goods manufactured in Scotland.

Henry McLeish: Intellectual property protection is a reserved matter. Information on estimated jobs lost due to counterfeited goods is not held centrally.

Counterfeit Goods

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives are in place to encourage members of the public to report organised counterfeit groups to the relevant enforcement authorities and, if there are none, whether it intends to introduce such incentives.

Angus MacKay: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-1267.

Environment

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has a conflict of interest in its advisory role in the designation of Special Protected Area status, given the statutory duty of SNH to take account of the interests of communities and social and economic development.

Sarah Boyack: No. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has a general duty to take such account as may be appropriate in the circumstances of the interests of local communities and the need for social and economic development. In the case of Special Protection Areas, selection must be on scientific criteria and it is not appropriate for Scottish Natural Heritage to take account of other factors.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that its policy of not paying compensation for losses suffered as a consequence of infectious salmon anaemia is compatible with human rights legislation.

Mr John Home Robertson: The Scottish Executive is content that the policy which implements our obligations under Community law in respect of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) is compatible with fundamental rights. We await the outcome of the reference to the European Court of Justice, which will give an authoritative view on the question of compensation which is being sought by one of the fish farming companies directly affected by the disease.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it established its policy not to pay compensation to scallop fishermen who incurred losses as a result of amnesic shellfish poisoning.

Mr John Home Robertson: It has been the policy of successive governments not to compensate for losses due to disease or other natural phenomena in the marine environment. The Scottish Executive see no case to change that position.

Health

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4053 by Susan Deacon on 11 February 2000, how many new nurses joined the NHS in the last three years and how many nurses rejoined the NHS in the same period.

Susan Deacon: The latest available information is as follows:

  



New 

  Joiners

  

Re-joiners

  



1995-96

  

2,278

  

1,049

  



1996-97

  

2,001

  

950

  



1997-98

  

1,991

  

1,038

  



  These figures include both nurses and midwives.

Health

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4052 by Susan Deacon on 11 February 2000, how many nurses completed training in the last three years and how many found posts in the NHS in the same period.

Susan Deacon: The numbers of nurses and midwives completing training in the last three financial years were as follows:

  


1996-97

  

1,806

  



1997-98

  

1,734

  



1998-99

  

1,829

  



  It is not possible to identify, on an individual basis, whether those who completed training subsequently secured employment in the NHS.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, for each year from 1992-93 to 1999-2000, how many decrees for eviction were awarded to housing associations; how many lead to actual evictions; what reasons were given for these evictions, and whether these details can be broken down by housing association area.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Information on the number of evictions carried out by registered housing associations was not collected before 1 April 1998. Between 1 April 1998 and 31 March 1999 a total of 336 evictions were carried out by registered housing associations. Since many housing associations do not operate in a specific geographical area this information is only available on an individual housing association basis and is contained in the attached table. The other information requested on housing association evictions is not held centrally.

  


Registered 

  Housing Associations

  

Evictions

  



Abertay 

  HA Ltd

  

3

  



Albyn H 

  Society Ltd

  

3

  



Almond HA 

  Ltd

  

3

  



Angus HA 

  Ltd

  

8

  



Ark HA Ltd

  

4

  



Barrhead 

  HA Ltd

  

2

  



Bellsmyre 

  HA Ltd

  

1

  



Berwickshire 

  HA Ltd

  

5

  



Blairtumock 

  HA Ltd

  

1

  



Bow Farm 

  HA Ltd

  

5

  



Bute HA 

  Ltd

  

4

  



Cairn HA 

  Ltd

  

1

  



Calvay

  

1

  



Canmore 

  HA Ltd

  

17

  



Castle Rock 

  HA Ltd

  

5

  



Clydebank 

  HA Ltd

  

3

  



Craigdale 

  HA Ltd

  

1

  



Cube HA 

  Ltd

  

12

  



Dalmuir 

  Park HA Ltd

  

1

  



Deeside

  

2

  



Dunbritton 

  HA Ltd

  

1

  



Dunedin 

  HA Ltd

  

7

  



Dunoon & 

  Cowal HA Ltd

  

2

  



East Lothian 

  HA Ltd

  

1

  



Edinvar 

  HA Ltd

  

4

  



Elderpark 

  HA Ltd

  

10

  



Faifley 

  HA Ltd

  

1

  



Ferguslie 

  Park HA Ltd

  

3

  



Forth HA 

  Ltd

  

3

  



Gap HA Ltd

  

3

  



Garngad 

  HA Ltd

  

2

  



Glasgow 

  West HA Ltd

  

1

  



Glen Oaks 

  HA Ltd

  

2

  



Govanhill 

  HA Ltd

  

7

  



Gowrie HA 

  Ltd

  

2

  



Grampian 

  HA Ltd

  

6

  



Haven HA 

  Ltd

  

4

  



Hilltop 

  View

  

1

  



Home in 

  Scotland HA Ltd

  

11

  



Horizon 

  HA Ltd

  

2

  



Hunters 

  Hall

  

2

  



Irvine HA 

  Ltd

  

1

  



James Nisbet

  

1

  



Key HA Ltd

  

1

  



Kingdom 

  HA Ltd

  

19

  



Knowes HA 

  Ltd

  

1

  



Lanarkshire 

  HA Ltd

  

3

  



Langstane 

  HA Ltd

  

48

  



Larkfield 

  HA Ltd

  

1

  



Lister

  

1

  



Lochfield 

  Park

  

1

  



Loreburn 

  HA Ltd

  

8

  



Manor Estates 

  HA Ltd

  

2

  



Maryhill 

  HA Ltd

  

1

  



Melville 

  HA Ltd

  

7

  



Milnbank 

  HA Ltd

  

11

  



Muirhouse 

  HA Ltd

  

3

  



Olchil View 

  Ltd

  

1

  



Old Town 

  HA Ltd

  

1

  



Paisley 

  South HA Ltd

  

1

  



Parkhead 

  HA Ltd

  

6

  



Partick 

  HA Ltd

  

4

  



Perthshire 

  HA Ltd

  

2

  



Port of 

  Leith HA Ltd

  

6

  



Reidvale 

  HA Ltd

  

3

  



Rural Stirling 

  HA Ltd

  

1

  



Shettleston 

  HA Ltd

  

8

  



Shire HA 

  Ltd

  

1

  



Southdeen

  

2

  



Thenew HA 

  Ltd

  

2

  



Tollcross 

  HA Ltd

  

8

  



Trafalgar 

  HA Ltd

  

1

  



Wester Hailes

  

1

  



Whiteinch 

  & Scotstoun HA Ltd

  

8

  



Williamsburgh 

  HA Ltd

  

11

  



Yoker HA 

  Ltd

  

2

  



Yorkhill 

  HA (1988) Ltd

  

1

  



Total Evictions

  

336

Housing

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive to detail, for each local authority the number of council houses affected by (a) dampness, (b) condensation and (c) both dampness and condensation for the years 1997-98 and 1998-99, and to express each category as a percentage of the total number of local authority houses in the area.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The following table sets out local authorities’ estimates of the number of council houses affected by dampness and condensation as at 31 March 1998. These are the latest available figures.

  Local Authority Dwellings Affected by Dampness & Condensation as at 31 March 1998

  





Dwellings affected 

  by Dampness

  

% of Council Stock

  

Dwellings affected 

  by Condensation

  

% of Council Stock

  

Dwellings affected 

  by Dampness & Condensation

  

% of Council Stock

  



Scotland

  

34,903

  

6.3

  

94,904

  

17.1

  

30,169

  

5.4

  



Aberdeen City

  

1,585

  

5.5

  

-

  

-

  

-

  

-

  



Aberdeenshire

  

-

  

-

  

478

  

2.9

  

-

  

-

  



Angus

  

1,000

  

9.7

  

2,993

  

28.9

  

-

  

-

  



Argyll and Bute

  

1,071

  

15.0

  

425

  

6.0

  

799

  

11.2

  



Clackmannanshire

  

14

  

0.2

  

591

  

9.0

  

-

  

-

  



Dumfries and Galloway

  

659

  

4.7

  

3,184

  

22.7

  

818

  

5.8

  



Dundee City

  

336

  

1.5

  

6,905

  

31.4

  

584

  

2.7

  



East Ayrshire

  

730

  

3.8

  

5,532

  

29.2

  

1,305

  

6.9

  



East Dunbartonshire*

  
 
 
 
 
 
 



East Lothian

  

425

  

4.0

  

560

  

5.3

  

80

  

0.8

  



East Renfrewshire

  

100

  

2.3

  

225

  

5.2

  

254

  

5.9

  



City of Edinburgh

  

792

  

2.6

  

6,122

  

20.0

  

3,818

  

12.5

  



Eilean Siar

  

30

  

1.5

  

787

  

38.3

  

50

  

2.4

  



Falkirk

  

2,083

  

9.4

  

3,038

  

13.7

  

1,886

  

8.5

  



Fife

  

12

  

0.0

  

4,218

  

10.2

  

10

  

0.0

  



Glasgow City

  

13,879

  

14.0

  

22,236

  

22.4

  

13,104

  

13.2

  



Highland

  

1,131

  

5.9

  

2,937

  

15.3

  

665

  

3.5

  



Inverclyde

  

873

  

7.1

  

3,713

  

30.2

  

420

  

3.4

  



Midlothian*

  
 
 
 
 
 
 



Moray

  

295

  

4.0

  

992

  

13.3

  

41

  

0.5

  



North Ayrshire

  

246

  

1.3

  

1,356

  

7.4

  

-

  

-

  



North Lanarkshire

  

2,180

  

4.2

  

8,580

  

16.6

  

1,700

  

3.3

  



Orkney Islands

  

136

  

13.7

  

636

  

64.2

  

-

  

-

  



Perth and Kinross

  

65

  

0.6

  

1,146

  

11.2

  

183

  

1.8

  



Renfrewshire

  

2,114

  

9.5

  

2,429

  

10.9

  

1,272

  

5.7

  



Scottish Borders

  

53

  

0.7

  

48

  

0.6

  

39

  

0.5

  



Shetland

  

17

  

0.7

  

286

  

12.4

  

20

  

0.9

  



South Ayrshire

  

518

  

4.7

  

7,025

  

63.3

  

627

  

5.6

  



South Lanarkshire

  

2,657

  

7.0

  

6,629

  

17.6

  

2,094

  

5.5

  



Stirling*

  
 
 
 
 
 
 



West Dunbartonshire*

  
 
 
 
 
 
 



West Lothian

  

1,902

  

10.6

  

1,833

  

10.2

  

400

  

2.2

  



  Source: As reported by local authorities in the HRA Checklist 1999-2000.

  Note: *Figures not provided by local authority.

Justice

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what was the total number of decrees for eviction awarded by sheriff courts for each year from 1992-93 to 1999-2000, broken down by Sheriff court.

Mr Jim Wallace: Information is not available in the form requested. Figures in relation to repossession of property by mortgage lenders have been collected by the courts since a revised system of collecting Civil Judicial Statistics was instituted on 1 January 1994. The figures for the number of mortgage lender actions disposed of in each court district are contained in Table 1. Table 2 contains the number of land or heritable actions disposed of under summary cause procedure in each court district. Not all lenders or authorities who are granted decree actually enforce them.

  Table 1: Mortgage Lender actions disposed of under Ordinary Cause procedure in the sheriff courts

  





1994

  

1995

  

1996

  

1997

  

1998

  



Aberdeen

  

15

  

90

  

202

  

186

  

178

  



Airdrie

  

107

  

106

  

138

  

200

  

244

  



Alloa

  

12

  

37

  

31

  

36

  

70

  



Arbroath

  

20

  

7

  

14

  

37

  

60

  



Ayr

  

39

  

106

  

98

  

142

  

149

  



Banff

  

0

  

17

  

16

  

15

  

23

  



Campbeltown

  

7

  

12

  

7

  

7

  

13

  



Cupar

  

33

  

32

  

52

  

44

  

37

  



Dingwall

  

16

  

26

  

14

  

17

  

22

  



Dornoch

  

3

  

4

  

1

  

1

  

4

  



Dumbarton

  

47

  

125

  

105

  

106

  

197

  



Dumfries

  

28

  

58

  

54

  

42

  

50

  



Dundee

  

69

  

94

  

165

  

149

  

168

  



Dunfermline

  

96

  

124

  

132

  

157

  

185

  



Dunoon

  

15

  

14

  

13

  

18

  

29

  



Duns

  

8

  

10

  

16

  

11

  

15

  



Edinburgh

  

245

  

419

  

501

  

536

  

574

  



Elgin

  

28

  

30

  

58

  

35

  

37

  



Falkirk

  

68

  

112

  

142

  

118

  

142

  



Forfar

  

9

  

8

  

29

  

19

  

31

  



Fort William

  

0

  

4

  

6

  

4

  

11

  



Glasgow

  

479

  

689

  

872

  

869

  

1,051

  



Greenock

  

3

  

8

  

50

  

46

  

80

  



Haddington

  

60

  

64

  

82

  

88

  

74

  



Hamilton

  

109

  

236

  

253

  

171

  

75

  



Inverness

  

23

  

62

  

64

  

80

  

110

  



Jedburgh

  

11

  

21

  

21

  

22

  

36

  



Kilmarnock

  

88

  

194

  

216

  

221

  

268

  



Kirkcaldy

  

53

  

132

  

155

  

176

  

224

  



Kirkcudbright

  

11

  

11

  

19

  

16

  

5

  



Kirkwall

  

5

  

4

  

13

  

4

  

2

  



Lanark

  

0

  

49

  

58

  

52

  

66

  



Lerwick

  

2

  

4

  

3

  

2

  

12

  



Linlithgow

  

91

  

180

  

209

  

160

  

251

  



Lochmaddy

  

2

  

2

  

7

  

1

  

3

  



Oban

  

8

  

8

  

12

  

12

  

18

  



Paisley

  

36

  

203

  

176

  

198

  

149

  



Peebles

  

10

  

9

  

10

  

7

  

6

  



Perth

  

44

  

76

  

109

  

84

  

108

  



Peterhead

  

48

  

35

  

65

  

53

  

62

  



Portree

  

4

  

2

  

8

  

4

  

8

  



Rothesay

  

5

  

5

  

2

  

7

  

10

  



Selkirk

  

18

  

16

  

17

  

24

  

38

  



Stirling

  

37

  

39

  

34

  

47

  

66

  



Stonehaven

  

21

  

32

  

42

  

40

  

22

  



Stornoway

  

0

  

1

  

13

  

5

  

9

  



Stranraer

  

18

  

20

  

20

  

21

  

26

  



Tain

  

5

  

7

  

13

  

15

  

11

  



Wick

  

2

  

10

  

2

  

0

  

1

  



Grand Total

  

2,058

  

3,554

  

4,339

  

4,305

  

5,030

  



  Table 2: Land or Heritable actions disposed of under Summary Cause procedure in the sheriff court

  





1994

  

1995

  

1996

  

1997

  

1998

  



Aberdeen

  

637

  

584

  

603

  

619

  

813

  



Airdrie

  

281

  

346

  

331

  

802

  

1,892

  



Alloa

  

31

  

52

  

52

  

39

  

60

  



Ayr

  

47

  

33

  

41

  

27

  

75

  



Arbroath

  

362

  

218

  

151

  

55

  

83

  



Banff

  

18

  

23

  

25

  

31

  

42

  



Campbeltown

  

67

  

78

  

74

  

54

  

60

  



Cupar

  

45

  

38

  

48

  

40

  

36

  



Dingwall

  

37

  

29

  

19

  

28

  

40

  



Dornoch

  

48

  

37

  

13

  

29

  

7

  



Dumbarton

  

93

  

84

  

139

  

93

  

86

  



Dumfries

  

120

  

85

  

75

  

101

  

54

  



Dundee

  

1,327

  

1,240

  

905

  

1,152

  

1,124

  



Dunfermline

  

339

  

181

  

260

  

262

  

346

  



Dunoon

  

107

  

105

  

56

  

60

  

60

  



Duns

  

15

  

17

  

6

  

20

  

14

  



Edinburgh

  

726

  

1,138

  

1,136

  

1,349

  

1,456

  



Elgin

  

81

  

71

  

66

  

88

  

69

  



Falkirk

  

307

  

333

  

372

  

360

  

444

  



Forfar

  

27

  

29

  

25

  

37

  

43

  



Fort William

  

25

  

43

  

21

  

21

  

30

  



Glasgow

  

1,343

  

1,241

  

1,129

  

1151

  

1,479

  



Greenock

  

92

  

131

  

156

  

199

  

193

  



Haddington

  

149

  

146

  

114

  

186

  

152

  



Hamilton

  

723

  

1,079

  

901

  

827

  

744

  



Inverness

  

255

  

268

  

158

  

174

  

226

  



Jedburgh

  

72

  

144

  

92

  

102

  

87

  



Kilmarnock

  

366

  

440

  

453

  

525

  

366

  



Kirkcaldy

  

273

  

373

  

314

  

423

  

221

  



Kirkcudbright

  

24

  

36

  

24

  

18

  

18

  



Kirkwall

  

12

  

5

  

6

  

3

  

2

  



Lanark

  

115

  

86

  

74

  

19

  

18

  



Lerwick

  

1

  

7

  

1

  

5

  

0

  



Linlithgow

  

283

  

145

  

178

  

140

  

202

  



Lochmaddy

  

2

  

2

  

1

  

0

  

1

  



Oban

  

68

  

71

  

65

  

67

  

68

  



Paisley

  

558

  

549

  

389

  

25

  

250

  



Peebles

  

6

  

8

  

7

  

17

  

6

  



Perth

  

296

  

272

  

222

  

254

  

264

  



Peterhead

  

73

  

102

  

91

  

87

  

115

  



Portree

  

0

  

2

  

1

  

3

  

4

  



Rothesay

  

22

  

24

  

24

  

24

  

16

  



Selkirk

  

97

  

93

  

34

  

57

  

98

  



Stirling

  

99

  

59

  

77

  

83

  

90

  



Stonehaven

  

43

  

75

  

44

  

68

  

59

  



Stornoway

  

2

  

4

  

1

  

0

  

2

  



Stranraer

  

19

  

42

  

20

  

14

  

8

  



Tain

  

58

  

65

  

58

  

73

  

78

  



Wick

  

22

  

40

  

24

  

51

  

57

  



Grand Total

  

9,813

  

10,273

  

9,076

  

9,862

  

11,658

Legal Aid

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to implement an alternative policy of exemption for patients who seek legal aid to oppose a detention order under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 but who have more than £1,000 in savings as presently set out in the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s Keycard policy.

Mr Jim Wallace: Applications for legal aid from people with mental health difficulties are assessed against the same statutory tests as applications from any other person. In assessing whether or not an applicant satisfies the financial eligibility test, consideration is given to the applicant's disposable income and disposable capital.

  Certain mental health proceedings in England and Wales can be exempted from the financial eligibility and contribution tests in relation to assistance by way of representation (ABWOR) but until recently in Scotland could not be. The Access to Justice Act 1999 now provides Scottish Ministers with the power to prescribe proceedings where the financial eligibility and contribution tests will not apply.

  Regulations will be laid in this parliamentary session which will provide ABWOR without reference to the financial eligibility and contribution tests for all proceedings under Part V of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984. This covers proceedings in relation to "admission to and detention in hospital and guardianship" and will bring Scotland into line with England and Wales.

Local Government Finance

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what account it will take of the budget submission made by the All Party Group from Perth and Kinross Council and whether it will offer Perth and Kinross Council similar flexibility in bringing its budget back within guidelines as was shown to Aberdeenshire Council.

Mr Jack McConnell: I expect Perth and Kinross Council to move significantly towards their guideline figure for 2000-01 and I have written to the Council welcoming the fact that they intend to do this.

Police

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the report Credit to the Force published on 24 November 1998 by HMCI of Constabulary for Scotland and the Accounts Commission, what progress it is making in reviewing the finance framework for policing.

Mr Jim Wallace: The report made 20 recommendations, five of which were directed at the Scottish Executive. The remaining recommendations were directed at chief constables, joint police boards and local authorities. Separate working groups have been set up to take forward two major recommendations on police funding which involve the Scottish Executive. These relate to the formula used to distribute police grant-aided expenditure (GAE) and the arrangements for approving and allocating forces’ capital programmes, including public/private partnership bids. Progress is being kept under review and the Scottish Executive will be reporting back to the Accounts Commission and the Inspectorate on the outcome.

Rural Affairs

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4070 by Ross Finnie on 14 February 2000, whether any additional researchers or other staff have been added to the MacAulay Land Use Research Institute team carrying out the study into the impact of banning hunting with dogs on the rural economy and, if so, whether it will provide details of their names and background experience.

Ross Finnie: Two additional economists were added to the MacAulay Land Use Research Institute team carrying out the study when the remit was extended to include a survey of businesses associated with foxhunting. These were individuals employed or subcontracted to the Institute with skills appropriate to the functions required by the contract.

Rural Affairs

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S1W-4070 by Ross Finnie on 14 February 2000, which organisations made representations to have the study by the MacAulay Land Use Research Institute into the impact of banning hunting with dogs on the rural economy extended and whether it will place copies of these representations in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Ross Finnie: Representations have been made on behalf of the Scottish Equestrian Association, the Scottish Hill Packs Association and gamekeepers. Copies of those representations will be made available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre if they are approved for release by their authors.

Rural Affairs

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4070 by Ross Finnie on 14 February 2000, whether it will provide an estimated timescale for the publication of the study by the MacAulay Land Use Research Institute into the impact of banning hunting with dogs on the rural economy and whether it will also provide details of the costs.

Ross Finnie: The decision to include the Scottish Hill Packs Association and gamekeeper’s activities will delay the publication of the survey report. I am not in a position to give details on timing. The estimated cost to date is £12,500. Costs will increase in line with the additional work which has been added.

Rural Affairs

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4070 by Ross Finnie on 14 February 2000, whether it will detail the additional aspects of the MacAulay Land Use Research Institute study into the impact of banning hunting with dogs on the rural economy.

Ross Finnie: In addition to the survey of mounted hunts and local businesses that provide goods and services to the hunts, research has now been extended to include the hill packs and gamekeepers’ activities.

Sport

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail its policy in relation to promoting sport in disadvantaged areas.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive supports the view set out in Sport 21 ,  sportscotland’s national strategy for sport, that greater effort is needed to promote and develop sport in Scotland’s disadvantaged communities to ensure that opportunities to participate in sport are open and equal to all.

  We will shortly receive a detailed research report on the role of sport in regenerating deprived urban areas which we commissioned with the support of sportscotland. This report will further inform the Scottish Executive’s policy in this area.

  We also welcome the social inclusion emphasis within the new strategy for the distribution of the Lottery Sports Fund that was launched last year. We also now have a network of 47 Social Inclusion Partnerships in place across Scotland, supported by funding of £137 million over three years. sportscotland has plans to work with this network over the next three years to establish an appropriate and sustainable sports component in each of the SIP areas by 2003.

Sport

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is promoting a holistic approach at the local level to encouraging sporting activities in disadvantaged areas.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive supports the challenge of Sport 21 which calls on local authorities to take the lead in developing Local Plans for Sport that draw on the resources of all relevant services including education, planning, social work, economic development and health as well as sport and leisure. It is essential that such local plans should unite the energies of the public, voluntary and commercial sectors. In the context of areas of social exclusion there should be a reinforcing partnership between sport, education, health and economic development in delivering local solutions to local needs.

Sport

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details, broken down by local authority area, of the number of sports co-ordinators employed in local authority schools including a breakdown by primary and secondary sector.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The information requested is detailed in the table below (position as at 29 February 2000):

  


Authority

  

Number 

  of Co-ordinator

  



City of 

  Edinburgh

  

25

  



Angus

  

7

  



Perth and 

  Kinross

  

10

  



Highland

  

27

  



North Lanarkshire

  

22

  



Glasgow

  

16 

  

  



West Lothian

  

11

  



Aberdeen 

  City 

  

13

  



East Ayrshire 

  

  

9

  



Dundee City

  

10

  



Fife

  

16

  



Falkirk

  

2

  



Aberdeenshire

  

4

  



East Lothian

  

6

  



South Lanarkshire

  

7

  



Clackmannanshire

  

2

  



Total

  

187

  



  The programme does not extend to primary schools but School Sports Co-ordinators are encouraged to develop links with staff at associated primary schools to consider how sports programmes may be developed and implemented.

Sport

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support local authorities receive from  sportscotland to promote sport in their individual areas.

Mr Sam Galbraith: At a strategic/policy level,  sportscotland provides advice and guidance to local authorities on the preparation of local plans for sport.  sportscotland reinforces this strategic contact with local authorities through its active participation in the CoSLA Sport and Recreation Task Group and its ongoing dialogue with the Scottish Association of Directors of Leisure Services (SADLS) and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES).

  In addition to this strategic work with local authorities, sportscotland provides direct support to local authorities through the Lottery Sports Fund and through its exchequer-funded programmes.

  Since the introduction of the Lottery in 1995, Scottish local authorities have received over £28 million in support of over 80 capital projects. The forecast spend on revenue programmes, which is delivered in partnership with Scotland’s local authorities, for 2000-01 is approximately £3.5 million.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the announcement of an £11 million boost for the tourist industry, as referred to in its press release dated 16 February 2000, constitutes an additional resource for the Scottish Tourist Board, and to provide details of the budget line from which these funds are drawn.

Henry McLeish: £5.25 million is going to the Scottish Tourist Board of which £2 million is for the Area Tourist Boards. These are unexpended funds carried forward from this financial year into the next financial year under the end-year flexibility arrangements.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what was the cost of preparing, publishing and printing the document A New Strategy for Scottish Tourism .

Henry McLeish: The cost of graphic design, printing and distribution was £32,320.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend its target for the annual growth rate for the value of tourism expenditure from 3.3% per annum to 4%, in line with the estimated growth rate in tourism in the global marketplace and, if so, whether it will amend its other targets in the New Strategy for Scottish Tourism accordingly.

Henry McLeish: Growth in tourism over the next five years is expected to be greatest in emerging markets, for example, in Asia. Tourism in Europe is forecast to grow by around 3.1% annually. Our target of 3.3% for Scotland is therefore not only tough but realistic.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider amalgamating the office premises of Locate in Scotland and Scottish Trade International.

Henry McLeish: Locate in Scotland (LiS) and Scottish Trade International (STI) both operate within the Scottish Enterprise organisation at its headquarters at Bothwell Street, Glasgow, and share the same joint-venture structure with The Scottish Executive. Both LiS and STI, where appropriate, work together on cases and have some field offices that are co-located.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a detailed analysis of any responses to its New Strategy for Scottish Tourism and, if not, why not.

Henry McLeish: The main views of those who contributed to our consultation exercise are summarised in the strategy. I am arranging for a more detailed breakdown of the points raised to be placed in the SPICe.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include traditional Scottish music in the niche marketing of Scottish tourism and, if so, whether it will consult with Celtic Connections and other relevant bodies

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Tourist Board and relevant Area Tourist Boards promote traditional music both in print and on their websites.

  The STB, the Scottish Arts Council and the traditional music sector are working in partnership to raise the profile of traditional music events in Scottish tourism. As part of this initiative, pilot schemes have taken place throughout the country looking at ways of making traditional music more accessible to visitors.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will add to the list of supplementary industry indicators relating to new research required, an item regarding the Irish tourist industry in order to promote best practice in our own industry, to learn from Bord Failte, and to ascertain any joint tourism initiatives between Scotland and the Republic of Ireland which could be developed.

Henry McLeish: There is no need. The tourism strategy commits the Scottish Tourist Board to benchmarking Scotland against countries overseas that offer comparable products and to then disseminate the results to businesses and to public sector partners. These countries will include Ireland.

Transport

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what priorities and timescales are allocated to the repairs in street lighting identified by regular night inspections by Mouchel on trunk roads throughout Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive gives the identification and repair of street lighting faults a high priority. Street lighting defects, which are identified within the North-East area by the Management Agent, Mouchel Scotland Ltd, which are an immediate or imminent hazard to trunk road users are made safe at the time of inspection, if possible. Failing that, an instruction is issued by Mouchel Scotland Ltd for a temporary repair to be carried out within 48 hours with the permanent repair being carried out within 14 days. Other non-hazardous defects which are identified are repaired within a planned programme of works.